Horn.



PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905.

G. H. FOSTER.

HORN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.20.1905\ 70227755555.- Jzz 2/5 271271", a W 7 wzz/ 1'1 g w-z/vfl Azzz7f22ay5.

UNITED .sTA as PATENT oFFron. I

HORN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

Application filed February 20, 1905. Serial No. 246,445.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLAUD H. FOSTER, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a cer tain new and useful Improvement in Horns, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to fluid-pressure-operated horns, and has for its object the pro vision of a horn that shall be simple in construction, that may be operated by light pressure to produce a loud, clear, and resonant sound, and that shall be provided with means for preventing the pitch of the horn from changing when the pressure and quantity of the operating fluid are varied.

Generally speaking, the invention may be defined as consisting of the combinations of elements embodied in the claims hereto annexed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of a horn constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section through the horn shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 represents an end elevation of such horn with a part of p the end broken away.

The horn is of metal and consists of an elongated body portion 1, preferably cylindrical in shape throughout the major portion of its length, but contracted at one end, as shown in the drawings. The large end of the horn is open, as shown at 2, and the other end is closed by a head 3, said head being provided in line with but below the center of the same and the end of the horn with a connection 14, by which the pressure fluid for operating the horn may be supplied thereto.

For facility of description Fig. 2 will be assumed as representing the normal position of the horn. The open end 2 will be designated as the front end, and the closed end will be designated as the rear end. The horn will be assumed tobe operated with its longitudinal axis horizontal, although so far as the operation of the same is concerned it may be vertical or at any desired angle of inclination. The front end is contracted, as

previously mentioned, and such contraction is preferably formed as follows: The upper wall of the horn is cut away, as by passing an inclined plane therethrough, the lower end of said plane being but a short distance from the adjacent end of the horn and a short distance above the longitudinal axis thereof, as

shown in Figs. 2 and 3. From the end of the horn to the lower end of the inclined plane the upper portion of the horn is cut away longitudinally, as by passing a plane therethrough parallel with the longitudinal axis. A horizontal plate 4 covers part of the opening formed by cutting the horn by the horizontal plane extending from the end thereof part way to the lower end of the portion cut away by the inclined plane. An inclined plate 5 covers the opening formed by the inclined plane extending from the lower end thereof to the upper surface of the horn-body and merging therewith. The space between the plates 4 and 5 forms a slot or mouth 6, of which the front edge of the plate 4 forms the rear hp 7, and the lower edge of the plate 5 forms the front lip 8. While I have shown two plates 4 and 5 with the mouth 6 between said plates, it will be evident that a single plate with a mouth therein may be substituted for the two spaced plates. The head 3 is of such shape as to close the end of the horn. A short distance from the head 3 a thin sheet-metal partition 9, parallelwith said head, is provided. This partition fits closely within the contracted horn-body and extends from the bottom of the horn close to the flat plate 4 at the top thereof. The upper edge of said partition is serrated, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3, is parallel with said plate, and is spaced therefrom to form a narrow passage or slot 10. The upper edge of said partition is immediately below the lip 7. The chamber 13, formed between the head 3 and partition 9,is of suchsmall capacity as to prevent even a very small quantity of the fluid admitted thereto from being dissipated therein without almost immediately passing over the top of the partition, while the small area of the slot above the partition, compared with that of the inlet opening or connection 14, prevents the pressure of the fluid introduced within said chamber from being materially lowered in said chamber. It follows, therefore, that substantially immediately on the entrance of the operating fluid into the chamber the horn will be sounded. At each end of the mouth 6 there is provided an ear 11. A cross member 12 is supported by and between these ears at a short distance above the lip 7 with its longitudinal center slightly in advance of said lipthat is to say, between said lip and the lip 8. This member is circular in section and is preferably tubular, as shown more particularly in Fig 2. Its effect is to maintain a constant pitch in the horn irrespective of a variation of several pounds in the pressure of the fluid supplied thereto. This cross member is applied by fitting the same temporarily between the ears 1 1 in about the position shown in the drawings-that is, with its axis slightly in advance of the lip 7 and with its lower surface spaced a short distance from and parallel with said lip. The horn is then tested by blowing through the same and observing whether the pitch is retained as the pressure varies. Should the pitch change, the cross member should be adjusted until the pitch is retained under varying pressures. The cross member is then permanentlysecured in place. I have found that in a horn having the following dimensions and with a cross member in about the position shown I am enabled to retain the pitch under varying pressures: outside diameter of horn-tubing, two inches; length of horn, about twenty-five inches; length of mouth transversely of horn, about one and one-half inches; width of mouth be tween lips, about nine-sixteenths of an inch; length of ear on each side of mouth, (at base,) about one and one-half inches; height of cars, about seven-eighths of an inch; diameter of cross member, about ilive-eighths of an inch distance between lower surface of cross member and plane of plate 4, about one-eighth inch; axis of cross member, about one-sixteenth of an inch in advance of the rear lip; distance between top of serrations on partition 9 and lower surface of lip 7, about one thirty-second of an inch.

With the above-recited dimensions and arrangement of parts I have been enabled to construct horns that will maintain a substantially constant pitch under a variation of several pounds to the square inch of the operating fluid. These dimensions may, however, be departed from more or less without afl'ecting the result. For instance, the cross member may be placed with its axis a slight distance to the rear of the lip 7; but in this case the lower surface of the member will be spaced a shorter distance from said lip. After the cross member has been properly positioned to maintain the pitchit is permanently secured in place.

In operation pressure fluid passes through the connection 14 into the shallow chamber 13 between the head 3 and partition 5, impinges against the lower portion of the partition, is spread out thereby and directed upwardly by said partition through the narrow slot 10 between the top of said partition and the lip 7, and is then directed against the lip 8, thereby sounding the horn in a wellknown manner. This arrangement of parts, in connection with the shallow chamber, causes the pressure fluid to be distributed in a uniform stream through the slot 10.

While the horn above described resembles in general construction an organ flue-pipe, it is peculiarly adapted for a wide range of application. It can be operated by fluid under very low pressure to produce a loud and musical tone. Should, however, the pressure of the operating fluid be greatly increased, the musical character of the tone remains and the pitch of the horn is substantially constant. The provision of the shallow chamber at the rear of the horn with the narrow slit between the upper end of the partition and the adjacent surface of the top plate permits the horn to be operated by very small quantities of fluid, admirably adapting it for use with small explosive engines running at slow speed, the shallowness and construction of the chamber preventing the exhaust charge from being dissipated therein without oper ating the horn. hile its adaptability its it admirably for employment with the exhaust of an explosive-engine, as shown and. described in my application Serial No. 237,059, filed December 16, 1904-, it will be evident that it may be operated. in any other convenient manner, as by the exhaust of a steam-engine, by compressed air supplied from a tank, or by connecting a bulb thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

1. An open-ended horn adapted to be operated under wide variations of pressure, said horn comprising a cross m ember, a head having an inlet, a partition forming with said head and the inner wall of the horn a chamber and an outlet, said inlet, chamber, and outlet being so proportioned as to cause said horn to sound a note of a certain pitch substantially immediately upon. the entrance of the operating fluid into said chamber and said cross member being arranged to maintain said note under variations of several pounds pressure, substantially as specifled.

2. A horn comprising a body having one end open, a head'closing the other end and having an inlet connection, a partition adjacent said head and forming therewith and with the walls of the body a chamber of small area and an outlet, said outlet being of smaller area than the inlet connection, the edge of said partition adjacent the outlet being serrated, substantially as specified.

3. A fluid-pressure horn having a hollow body, a head. closing an end of said. body, a partition forming with said head and body a chamber of small capacity and extending from the bottom of the body nearly to the upper portion thereof and spaced a short distance therefrom to form a narrow slit, the upper edge of said partition being serrated, said horn having a lip located. to be impinged upon by the blast through said slit, means for directing pressure fluid into said chamber near the lower end of the partition, and means for preventing the pitch of the horn from changing by reason of a variation 01" several pounds in the pressure of the operating fluid, substantially-as. specified.

4. A fluid-pressure horn having an enlarged cylindrical body portion, a head for one end of said horn extending above the longitudinal axis of said body portion and between such axis and the upper surface of said body portion, the upper end of said head being horizontal, a plate closing the top of said horn and extending horizontally from said head for a short distance, an upwardly-inclined plate spaced from said horizontal plate to form a mouth therewith, said inclined plate merging with the cylindrical body portion, and a partition extending from the bot tom of said horn adjacent the front end of said horizontal plate and spaced therefrom to form a restricted passage or slot, said partition having its upper edge serrated, substantially as specified.

5. A fluid-pressure horn comprising an enlarged body portion and a reducedend portion, said enlarged body portion having an open end, a head closing said reduced end portion, a partition adjacent said head and having a serrated edge spaced a short distance from the adjacent portion of the horn to form a narrow passage or slit therebetween for pressure fluid, said horn having a mouth adjacent said partition, one of the lips of said mouth being located to be impinged upon by the blast of fluid passing through said slit or passage, and a connection for pressure fluid carried by said head and communicating with the space or chamber be tween said head and partition, substantially as specified.

6. A horn comprising a body having one end open and the other end closed, a partition adjacent the closed end of said body and forming therewith and with the walls of the horn a chamber and an outlet, the edge of said partition adjacent the outlet being serrated, there being an inlet for admitting pressure fluid to said chamber, substantially as specified.

7. A horn comprising a body having one end open and the'other end closed, a partition adjacent the closed end of said body and forming therewith and with the walls of the horn a chamber and an outlet, the edge of' said partition adjacent the outlet being serrated, said horn being provided with a mouth extending transversely thereof and immediately to the rear of said partition, said mouth comprising a rear lip and a front lip, a cross member supported above the rear lip and spaced a short distance therefrom, and an in-- let connection communicating with the cham ber, substantially as specified.

8. A horn comprising a body having one end open and the other end closed, a partition adjacent the closed end of said body and forming therewith and with the walls of the horn a chamber and an outlet, the edge of said partition adjacent the outlet being serrated, said horn being provided with a transverse mouth to the rear of the partition, said mouth comprising a front and a rear lip, an ear at each side of said mouth, a cross member supported between said ears and spaced a short distance from the rear lip, and a connection for pressure fluid communicating with said chamber, substantially as specified.

9. A horn comprising a body having a transverse partition adjacent one end thereof and forming with said end and with the walls of the horn a chamber and an outlet, the edge of said partition adjacent the outlet being serrated, there being an inlet for the admission of pressure fluid to said chamber, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLAUD H. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

B. W. BROCKETT, J. B. HULL. 

